


Sleeper

by DarkFantasyLvr



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angel Dean, Angel Tablet, Biggerson's, Brainwashing, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends, Episode: s08e21 The Great Escapist AU, Friends to Enemies, Gen, M/M, Prompt Fill, Supernatural Kink Meme, Transformation, reverse crypt scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-22
Updated: 2016-07-07
Packaged: 2018-06-03 19:17:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6623005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkFantasyLvr/pseuds/DarkFantasyLvr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Great Escapist AU. </p>
<p>An angel has been tracking Cas for weeks after he's taken the Angel Tablet on the run. When the agent is revealed, Castiel must save him from his greatest enemy - himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Someone was following him.

Without looking back and alerting them, Castiel knew that somebody was standing approximately ten feet to his...left. It had to be, without a shadow of a doubt, another angel sent out to get him and the Angel Tablet. This was the fourth time this week and second week in a row that this particular agent was hot on his trail. Without knowing _exactly_ whom this was though was what kept Castiel from getting truly uneasy. Obviously it had to be one of Naomi's, someone looking more for the tablet than for himself.

Castiel patted his stomach as he stopped in the nearest Biggerson's, doing his very best impression of a human in search of sustenance. They seated him right away and Castiel ordered for himself a cup of coffee and something called a _Super-Duper Breakfast Bonanza Combo._ Dean would've laughed at him outright for choosing something with such an outrageous name before saying he'd have the same.

He missed spending time with the brothers.

Perhaps once he shook off this angel, he'd call to tell them he wasn't dead yet. They’d probably appreciate it mid-way through their initial lecture about proper length of time between disappearing with Heavenly Weapons and telling him how stupid he was to go off on his own with said weapon. He could not wait to make that call.

While waiting for his meal and sipping his coffee, Castiel took a breath in through his nose. That feeling was still with him. His follower - they were still close. He looked carefully over his shoulder because he could've sworn that eyes were staring directly at him. Nobody – they were cloaked from his senses. After a month of being on the run from Heaven, this was the closest any angel had gotten to him. Whomever this angel was, for some reason Castiel felt like he was finally running out of precious time.

* * *

He watched as his assignment took another drink of that human concoction of mud and sugar.

Disgusting.

He knew that Castiel realized that someone had been following him from location to location and that was fine. Every angel in Heaven or on Earth knew that Castiel was exceptionally smart. Naomi instructed him to always be on the alert as Castiel was an elusive one to track at the best of times.

_"He's broken,"_ she'd said to him. _"You must bring him back to us so that we can bring him back on the proper path."_

He would not fail in his endeavor. Naomi said to him that she would reward him handsomely for his work for her.

For now though, he would wait and watch. When Castiel let his guard down, he would extract the tablet from his hands and deliver both to Naomi.

And she would be pleased.

* * *

The restaurant was going to close in twenty minutes. He knew that it was lazy of him to wait this long to move on but, dammit, he was beginning to feel fatigue settle in.

He was tired of hiding and, a very small part of him, was ready to be caught. Be it by angel, demon or Winchester - Castiel was ready to return home.

Extracting his cellular device from his pocket, Castiel speed-dialed Dean Winchester and waited. The phone rang and rang but the voicemail picked up, alerting him that Dean was unavailable.

Perhaps the brothers were involved in some sort of case.

Dialing now Sam's number, Sam picked up on the second ring. "Castiel?"

"Hello, Sam."

"Cas, where are you? Is Dean with you?"

Castiel frowned. "No. I dialed his number before yours and only received his vocal mailbox. He is not with you?"

"No. I don't - he's not answering. It's been weeks and -”

Castiel felt something pointed and sharp poking against his back. He turned and, looming over him, was an angry Dean Winchester, wearing his best FBI impersonation suit and holding an angel blade tight in his grip.

"Dean?" Castiel asked, hanging up on Sam and rising to his feet.

It was wrong...

What Castiel was seeing in Dean was just wrong...

That was...it was just not possible...

Taking too long to do anything other than stare, Dean stole the advantage and moved in for the attack as he jabbed his blade forward. At the very last possible second, Castiel raised his own blade to block Dean. The two were evenly matched and both of them were pushed to the walls behind them. Dean adjusted the tie he was wearing, assuming an attack position before pushing off of the wall and coming at Castiel with force.

Far too much force for a mere human.

Castiel raised his fist and punched Dean square in the jaw. Normally that would've likely broken Dean's face. But powered up as he was, it only threw him back a few feet before he launched himself forward and threw a punch of his own.

Back and forth they went, punching and kicking. The room was utterly destroyed before they stopped at opposite ends.

"Where are the employees?" Castiel asked, wondering for the lives of the people he'd seen bustling about as he'd sat.

"Sent them away with a thought," Dean answered. "We are alone here, Traitor."

"I am no traitor, Dean. What happened to you? How are you...?"

"Naomi sent me to bring the Tablet back to Heaven where it belongs. She explained to me what I needed to do and I obeyed. _I_ am a good soldier."

"Dean,” Castiel whispered, shaking his head, “you know this isn't right. This isn't _you_."

Dean yelled and punched Castiel in the stomach. Distracted as the air was knocked out of him, his blade dropped from his hands and clattered uselessly onto the floor. Dean grabbed it and pointed both of them at him as he struggled to get up.

" _Give_ me the angel tablet, Castiel."

"No."

Dean punched him in the nose hard enough that blood splattered through the air. Castiel fell back to the floor in a heap, clutching his face in pain. When he looked up, Dean's blade was pointed directly in his face.

"Dean...don't...."

"You can live if you just give me the Tablet."

From his position on the ground, Castiel couldn't help but stare as massive wings expanded from the shadow behind Dean's back. Castiel could see that the tiniest shred of Dean's human soul was practically moments from getting lost in the maelstrom of the Angelic. It was déjà vu for him as he remembered a time not so long ago that Dean was seconds away from having his soul being swallowed by _another_ force beyond his control. Again he had but a single shot to get this correct.

He needed to save Dean from himself.

Castiel rose carefully to his feet. Dean's blade remained steadily in front of Castiel's face, ready to attack if necessary.

Biting his lips, Castiel forced his own wings to appear, charcoal black and more ragged than even he'd realized. His eyes glowed with the great power of his grace. Dean only stared back at him before taking a breath in and extending the power of his own grace, his eyes shining a bright jade green.

The two of them stared at each other before Castiel made the first move. Using his grace, he summoned Dean's blade right into his hand. Taken aback and angry, Dean launched himself at his former friend.

Castiel moved two steps to the right and, when Dean reached Cas' former spot, grabbed onto Dean and put his arms around him, hugging him tightly. Dean froze and Castiel used that to his advantage. He placed his two fingers against Dean's forehead and projected every single thing he remembered about his time with Dean Winchester, his best friend. His _Brother_. Dean's eyes widened as it all came trickling back to him - everything the two of them had been through. Hell, the Apocalypse, the Leviathans.

After that, everything happened all at once.

The tiny speck remaining of Dean's humanity was swallowed by the sheer power of the grace forced onto him. Dean's entire body rocked with it as bright white and blue light exploded from his eyes. Castiel lowered both of them to the ground as the tremors stopped. He reached out to touch Dean's chest so he could feel for a heartbeat but Dean grabbed his hand by the wrist to stop him. His eyes flew open and he breathed in a gasping breath.

"Dean?" Castiel whispered. He clutched Dean's face in his hands.

"Cas..."

Castiel had never been so happy to hear Dean say his name.

"I'm here."

"I feel weird, Cas..."

"I'm so sorry, Dean but there isn't anything I can do about it."

"S'okay."

Castiel helped Dean to sit up and both of them felt a shift in the air. They turned as one and Naomi had arrived with several angels in tow. Slowly Castiel rose from his crouch but, with a snap of her fingers, he found himself tied to a chair with ropes soaked in holy oil.

"Cas!" Dean shouted, rising to his feet. Immediately two angels grabbed him by the arms, holding him in place, making him unable to help.

"Hmm, knew it wouldn't hold although I had hoped…."

"What did you do to him, Naomi?" Castiel asked, mid-struggle.

"Well, grabbing him was easy," she said, sauntering over to Dean. Angel blade in hand, she dragged the pointed end against his cheek, slicing only the tiniest sliver, releasing both blood and grace from the wound.

It leaked for a second before healing itself.

"The hardest part was the indoctrinating. I never thought I'd find a mind more steel-trapped than yours. But he broke in the end - again."

A chair slid across the room and Naomi sat down on it, directly across from Castiel.

"I'm sure that you know from personal experience that after they break, it is all about finding the right endeavor to hone in the point you are trying to make. We went over it, nonstop, for days until it sunk in. _Find Castiel. Bring me the Tablet._ "

"And then what would you do with him?” Castiel asked. “Kill him?"

Naomi smiled up at Dean who continued struggling.

"Of course. He's been a pain in Heaven's side ever since you dragged his sorry ass out of the Pit."

She stood and walked over to him, caressing his cheek before turning back to Castiel.

"He served his purpose and now that purpose is over."

Castiel struggled in his seat and Dean struggled to free himself from the other angels. Neither one of them realized the demon in the room until the first gunshot. Somehow, in the middle of all of the fighting no one had seen Crowley appear beside the entrance to the restaurant.

"Naomi, darling. Miss me?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some dialogue has been taken from the episode 'The Great Escapist' and, based on what's going on here, anything that happened within that episode involving a certain book friendly angel has been pushed to accommodate this story. Other than that, enjoy!

Sam was sitting in his room on the edge of his bed, staring down at his phone in disbelief. Three weeks ago, on any other normal Wednesday, Dean went out to pick up dinner and never came back. Sam did his best searching, eventually finding the Impala but no sign of Dean. He looked into any and all police reports and street camera views (with a little help from a certain red-headed hacker’s tips) but still came up completely empty.

Now, a little over an hour ago, Castiel finally called in to check up. They spoke a few words back and forth (Sam getting ready to go in on the angel and his disappearing act) before he hung up seconds after saying his brother's name. The way he said it... He'd just finished redialing Cas' number a third time when his phone went off.

"Cas?"

_"Sammy?"_

_"Dean,"_ Sam breathed out. "Damn it, _where_ have you been?"

"Sammy,” Dean uttered with a sigh, “we've got a big problem."

* * *

 

Being held captive by Naomi was one thing.

Being held by _Crowley_...

Castiel turned to glare at the other being, an angel, guarding the office. Ion was a good soldier, a good angel. But then, once upon a time, so was Castiel himself.

"Oh, that's right, Castiel,” Crowley said gleefully. “I've got me an angel on the payroll. The things that can be purchased nowadays..."

"What do you want, Crowley?" Castiel asked while hiding his grimace. Again he was tied down to another chair, this time with the added insult of a bullet wound to the stomach.

"What do _I_ want?" Crowley asked aloud, looking to Ion as he laughed to himself. Ion continued to ignore them as Crowley rose to his feet, walked around to where Castiel was sitting and reached out a hand straight into Castiel's vessel’s gut.

Castiel gasped and gagged as Crowley rooted his hand around until he grabbed what everyone in the universe had been searching for - the Angel Tablet.

"I knew you were holding onto this thing, just didn’t know how close. Never saw you as the drug mule sort of angel."

"The tablets weren't meant for the angels and they weren't meant for you."

Castiel barely restrained the groan coming from deep within his throat. He threw his head back and shut his eyes, mentally willing his body to begin the healing process.

"Uh-uh. Remember – angel blade bullets. I'd say you have maybe a couple of hours before you kick it. And then -”

A cellphone rang from somewhere nearby. Crowley retrieved it from his pocket and walked a short distance away, having a conversation with someone.

"…You jackasses, you're ruining my streak!"

Crowley hung up. He turned to Ion and told him to watch Castiel.

"I'll be right back."

* * *

 

Sam wasn’t getting it but Dean could understand his uneasiness. This was too farfetched, even for them.

"Wait, what?"

"I told you I-"

"But, Dean that isn't possible. People can't just _become_ angels."

"Explain the wings to me then. And the headache. I feel like my head’s gonna explode or something…"

"I don't..." Sam sighed over the line. "You're not high, are you?"

"No, I am not high. Believe me, I would know it."

"Okay, then where are you now?"

Dean looked around. "Standing by an old run down church in Santa Fe."

"Well then stretch out your “wings” and get over here to the Bunker and we can -” Sam cut off, coughing over the line.

Dean tightened his mouth into a straight line as he hung up the phone. He closed his eyes and thought really hard about being at the Bunker. The air shifted around him and, when he opened his eyes, he was right by the Bunker’s front door. Yahtzee.

Not bothering to knock, Dean tore open the door and in his haste pulled it entirely off the hinges. Sam stopped himself mid-cough as Dean ran down the stairs and grabbed onto his brother, hugging him tightly.

"Nice to see you too."

Dean let go and got a good, long look at Sam.

"Fuck."

"What?" Sam asked, quirking an eyebrow and sitting heavily at the map table.

"You. You look..."

"Bad?"

"I'm telling you, man," Dean said while shaking his head, "These trials were a bad idea."

"Well, thanks for the vote of confidence."

The two of them lapsed into an uneasy silence. Dean couldn't help but keep looking at Sam out of the corner of his eye.

"So, about Cas..."

"Right. Right. Cas."

"You said Crowley's got him?"

"Yeah. Shot him with some kind of angel blade bullets -”

"How come we never thought of that?"

Dean shrugged. "We’d have gotten to it eventually. Probably. Anyway, he took him somewhere and…damn it, Sam. It’s all my fault."

Sam grabbed for his laptop and began searching. An hour went by before –

"I think I'm onto something."

Dean turned from his spot across the room. He’d been trying to reach Cas through Angel Radio himself, not having any better luck. He walked over and leaned over Sam's shoulder.

"There's this office building in Los Alamos that was purchased under the name Fergus Moody. And check this out."

Sam pulled up a picture of the building with what appeared to be wording but was more obviously warding sigils painted on the windows of an upstairs office.

"Okay," Dean said. "I'll check it out."

"Call if you need anything else, okay."

"I'll bring Cas home."

Dean shut his eyes and focused his mind and very being on the building he'd seen on the computer. When he opened them a second later, he was standing safely in the parking lot, the building standing tall and imposing before him. Drawing his own personal angel blade, Dean strode through the front doors when he heard a shout coming from several floors up. Fearing the worst, he ran the rest of the way to an office and discovered Castiel leaning over an angel from the Biggerson's. The angel’s eye a bloody mess and he was obviously dead.

"Cas?"

Castiel turned and almost lost his footing if not for Dean grabbing him and holding onto him.

"Healing from the bullet wound is taking longer than I'd like it to."

"Well it was made from an angel blade so you get a pass, buddy. Let's get out of here before Crowley comes back."

Thankfully, the premises was empty at the moment so they could make their escape easily. Once they reached the parking lot, Dean flew them back to Bunker. They arrived in a heap in the middle of the library.

"Sam, a little help here..." Dean shouted.

Castiel's face was pinched with pain as the bullet wound continued to bleed sluggishly. Sam appeared with sutures and alcohol but his hands were shaking too much for him to be able to even thread the needle. Dean grabbed it from his hands and was about to begin when he stopped.

"What is it?" Sam asked.

Licking his lips, Dean put his hand to the wound and closed his eyes. Moments later a bright white light appeared and, when Dean shakily removed his hand, the bullet wound was gone.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There might be one or two more chapters after this one. Thank you again for reading.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter, ending where certain scenes of 'The Great Escapist' would begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone so much for reading the story up to now. This is the last chapter, with some good Cas/Dean stuff. Enjoy.

Castiel was sitting in the library well past midnight with his nose buried in a book when he heard a door opening and someone walking down the hall in his direction. He looked up to find Dean, now sporting his regular plaid and jeans combo rather than the suit Naomi had him wear.

"Couldn't sleep?" Castiel asked.

Dean shook his head, taking the seat opposite him and putting his head into his hands. He let out a groan and rubbed his face with one hand.

"Didn't have to. Don't think I need to anymore."

"That's not true, Dean. Even I take time out to sleep on occasion."

"Yeah, well, you didn't suddenly have the universe shoved into your head all at once. How do you cope, man?"

Castiel licked his lips, thinking about it. "I have had a millennia to get used to, as you say, the universe inside of my head. I was created for such a purpose."

Dean didn't say anything but closed his eyes and leaned his head against his hand.

"If you'd like, I can put you into a restful state for a few hours," Castiel suggested.

"Might take you up on that. How about you, Cas? You okay?"

Castiel thought it over for a minute. "I'm healing. The bullet wound is long gone and, thanks to you, my strength is slowly returning minute by minute."

"Glad I could help."

Castiel smiled and Dean looked up at him in confusion. "What was that?"

Castiel frowned. "What was what?"

"That," Dean said raising his hand to him. "That...I felt something when you smiled."

"What did it feel like?"

"It felt...good. Like, your happiness was leaking into me and..." Dean smiled to himself and a moment later Castiel did the same.

"It's how angels show their affection towards each other. It's how we show -”

"Emotion."

"That's right. We're not built in the same way as humans. Where the human phrase, 'Actions speak louder than words', for angels it's -”

"I get it."

Dean smiled again and this time Castiel let out a tiny huff of laughter, making Dean laugh himself.

"Man, if Sammy came into the room right now," Dean commented once he gained back control.

"He would be very confused," Castiel answered while nodding.

"Maybe I should go wake him up..."

"Dean, you have seen the effect of the trials."

Immediately Castiel felt a wave of utter sorrow and regret wash over him so fast, he almost got whiplash from it.

"You're right, Cas. He needs his sleep."

Thinking on his feet (and feeling a need to cheer Dean up immediately) Castiel blurted out, "What about taking a flight with me outside?"

Dean blinked, momentarily thrown by the change in subject. "A flight?"

"Yes," Castiel breathed out. "It might take your mind off of, well, everything. It could theoretically tire you enough that you might sleep the rest of the night."

"Um, okay."

Dean and Castiel both rose from their seats and headed towards the stairs. Dean hovered for a moment, looking back, checking on Sam by using his angelic senses. Assured that his brother would be fine, the two walked outside of the bunker.

Dean shut the door behind him and turned to Castiel.

"What now?"

Castiel breathed and his wings took shape behind his back. Dean did likewise, his own appearing for their eyes only. Both of them looked to the sky and vanished without another word.

* * *

Sam woke up feeling groggy. It was shortly after eleven according to his alarm clock, meaning he'd had thirteen hours of sleep. Why didn't Dean wake him? Or Cas?

Yawning and rubbing his face, Sam rose from the bed and walked to the bathroom and took a quick shower before the vertigo could set in. When finished, Sam walked into the kitchen, intending to read his brother the riot act but the room was bare. Where were Dean and Cas?

The library was empty save for several books piled on the table and two chairs on either side being pushed out. Dean hadn't been in the bathroom and the shooting range was empty too. Well, Occam's razor...

"Dean," Sam whispered, knocking on his brother's bedroom door. "Dean, you up? Cas with you?"

"Um, yeah. Hold on a sec."

Sam waited by the door and a minute later Dean appeared, putting on a red plaid shirt and buttoning the remaining top buttons.

"Morning."

"Morning," Sam said before another yawn erupted.

"You sleep?" Dean asked, warily looking at Sam as though he might fall apart right in front of him.

"Yeah. You?"

"Yeah. Eventually."

"Is Cas joining us?"

"What? No. He, um, he's just going to, uh, stay in my room for right now. Still healing and all that. Let him sleep."

Dean gave his brother a smirk and a friendly smack on the shoulder before strutting down the hall and in the direction of the kitchen. Sam waited by the door and opened it slowly to peek inside. Cas was out like a light on the bed with the sheet covering his lower half, his upper half bare and all of his clothes and Dean's clothes from yesterday were in a pile together on the ground.

"I hope he was good to you, Cas."

The angel didn't as much as move except to shift his head on the pillow and let out a huff of breath. Sam smiled to himself before shutting the door and following in his brother's footsteps, heading to the kitchen where Dean was hopefully starting to make breakfast.

"Dean, I was thinking..."

Sam didn't get any further because Dean was leaning over his laptop and there was a dark expression on his face.

"What's wrong?"

Dean sighed and rubbed his eyes that looked suspiciously wet.

"Message from Kevin...You gotta sit down for this one."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there's a possibility of a one-shot attached to this (something where Cas is human) but I'm not sure if I'll do it. If anyone wants to send some prompts my way, I'll gladly consider them. I'm stuck for ideas right now. Okay, thanks for reading.

**Author's Note:**

> The title refers to Dean being a 'Sleeper Agent', a spy for the angels. 
> 
> Original Prompt: After Cas disappears with the tablet and the angels have issues hunting down Castiel Naomi goes for a new approach. She captures Dean and turns him into an angel with the perfect programming to be her obedient soldier. His one job is to track down Castiel and return him and the tablet back to the flock. Dean obeys and starts hunting him.
> 
> Castiel doesn't realize who is hot on his trail just the angel is uncomfortably close that it's inevitable for him to catch up and that maybe he feels familiar.
> 
> Some variation of the reverse crypt scene maybe not violent but Cas just being heartbroken and begging Dean to be Dean again. The transformation is permanent but not the programming. Can this lead to a reuniting of friends and then some really hot wing kink sex?
> 
> I might continue this with a few more chapters if there's enough interest.


End file.
